WJPA Sports

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jackson Merrill doubled, tripled, drove in a run and scored another to help Randy Vásquez reach 10 victories as the San Diego Padres beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-0 on Wednesday to avoid a three-game sweep. The Padres remained in possession of the National League’s third wild-card spot, one game ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks. San Diego has won 12 of 17 and 22 of 31. Merrill doubled to right with one out in the second off Bubba Chandler and scored on Luis Rengifo’s single to right.

ATLANTA (AP) — The Pro Bowl is no more. The NFL announced the move Wednesday, bringing an end to an exhibition of the league’s top players that was held in some form almost every year since 1951. The game wasn’t played in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that was the only pause in the postseason event. The league said 88 players will still be named as Pro Bowlers and honored in Los Angeles after this season. Several flag football events also will take place at that time. The Pro Bowl has waned in popularity in recent years.

The Big 12 Conference on Wednesday followed the Southeastern and Big Ten conferences in banning players who were on NFL rosters from returning to college. The decision by the Big 12 came a day after rulings by the SEC and Big Ten. Earlier Wednesday, the NFL made it clear that players who leave the NFL to return to college won’t be allowed to come back to the league this season. NFL executive Troy Vincent reiterated the longstanding policy at the league’s meetings Wednesday. Atlantic Coast Conference leaders were also discussing the topic this week.

LIV Golf has informed employees their jobs will end next week as the league begins life without Saudi funding. The league is downsizing operations while pursuing an agreement with a lead investor to restructure for next year. LIV Golf learned in April that the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia would end financial backing after this season. CEO Scott O’Neil announced he had come to terms with a lead investor, reportedly BC Partners, and hopes to finalize the deal in September. The future of LIV’s biggest names, like Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau, is still uncertain.